Food allergies
Tasks of the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is actively engaged in the research and assessment of food allergen sources. With its information BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment helps consumers concerned to make the right food choice.
Eggs, nuts or dairy products – consumers can react to foods with many different intolerances. This does not always involve an allergy: a food allergy is an enhanced, specific defence reaction of the immune system to foods or food ingredients (allergens).
Food intolerances include enzyme defects (eg lactose intolerance), toxic and pseudo allergic reactions. They are no allergies because the immune system is not involved. Humans with non-allergic intolerances can often tolerate – as opposed to allergic persons – small amounts of the substance concerned without any complaints.
Allergy Information Service
The External Link:Allergy Information Service of Helmholtz Munich provides scientific information on allergic diseases for sufferers, their families and the interested public.